D&C 17

Section 17 is short but has a lot of information. The introduction to the section says, “revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet to Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer, and Martin Harris, at Fayette, Hew York, June 1829, prior to their viewing the engraved plates that contained the Book of Mormon record. Joseph and his scribe, Oliver Cowdery, had learned from the translation of the Book of Mormon plates that three special witnesses would be designated. See Ether 5:2-4; Also 2 Nephi 11:3 and 27:12. Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer, and Martin Harris were moved upon by an inspired desire to be the three special witnesses. The Prophet inquired of the Lord, and this revelation was given in answer, through the Urim and Thummim.” I’ve actually been thinking about this concept the last few days, starting with the revelation to Hyrum Smith. I thought “why isn’t he more prominent in the early D&C? Why wasn’t he one of the three witnesses, instead of three men who apostatized?” I thought that it would have had a more profound impact if the three witnesses had actually remained faithful to the Church, and I had to ask, “Why, if God knowing all things, did he have three men that he knew would apostatize as the three witnesses?” I thought about how we are never punished for our actions before we commit them, and that even though the Lord knows all, he treats us as fairly as we are behaving in that moment. We see this with L&L when they were diligent in keeping the commandments, they were growing spiritually, so as these men were not only faithful spiritually, they were also very instrumental in bringing forth the work. If they were to ask, and the Lord told them no because they would eventually apostatize, even though they were worthy at the time, that would have negated part of their agency, because the Lord wouldn’t have been fulfilling his promise to them, that if they were worthy they could ask for and receive blessings. The IM quotes President Joseph Fielding Smith as teaching concerning the three witnesses, “Christ is the second person in the Godhead. But Christ has himself declared that the manifestations we might have of the Spirit of Christ, or from a visitation of an angel, a tangible resurrected being, would not leave the impression and would not convince us and place within us that something which we cannot get away from which we receive through a manifestation of the Holy Ghost. Personal visitations might become dim as time goes on, but this guidance of the Holy Ghost is renewed and continued, day after day, year after year, if we live to be worthy of it.” Again, another example that miracles and manifestations don’t convert, only the Holy Ghost does. Another point that I think is significant in why these three men were chosen, even though the Lord knew they would one day leave the Church is just that. If one of the three witnesses had been Hyrum Smith, and maybe another close friend or something like that, then sure it would have been powerful testimony, but the circumstances surrounding the departure of all three of the witnesses is significant if we consider human nature. It’s one of those situations where people are positive and believing in concepts in which they are engaged, but when they leave that organization or that idea, suddenly their opinions are exactly the opposite and their experiences have changed. What it would have been like for the three witnesses to apostatize and then renounce their testimonies of the Book of Mormon? That would have been typical for human nature, that would have been expected. But the truly remarkable circumstance was that none of them did that, even in their most dark and hateful hour did they held firmly and exact to what they had testified to in the beginning, and that is all the more powerful. So it was in His wisdom that God chose three men who would turn their backs on the Church in the darkest of times, and truly that is the master psychologist at work here. DJR quotes several passages from other scriptures that foretell the need for the three witnesses, Ether 5:2-4; 2 Nephi 27:12; and D&C 5:11-13. 17:1-3 - I think it’s really interesting that the Lord specifies exactly what the three witnesses are going to get to see “you shall have a view of the plates, and also of the breastplate, the sword of Laban, the Urim and Thummim, which were given to the brother of Jared upon the mount, when he talked with the Lord face to face, and the miraculous directors which were given to Lehi while in the wilderness, on the borders of the Red Sea.” I wonder why the Lord would want to show them more than just the gold plates? Maybe to make the content more real to them, it’s one thing to see the book, but to see the pieces to the story line could help them internalize the validity of it. Also I believe that it’s mentioned several times that these were the things that were handed down throughout the generations, the plates, the sword of Laban, the Urim and Thummim, and the Liahona. I really like the account of the three witnesses because it’s personal and human and teaches us all some important lessons. The IM quotes Joseph Smith as giving the following account: “Not many days after the above commandment was given, we four, Martin Harris, David Whitmer, Oliver Cowdery and myself, agreed to retire into the woods, and try to obtain, by fervent and humble prayer, the fulfillment of the promises given in the above revelation- that they should have a view of the plates. We accordingly made choice of a piece of woods convenient to Mr. Whitmer’s house, to which we retired, and having knelt down, we began to pray in much faith to Almighty God to bestow upon us a realization of these promises. According to previous arrangement, I commenced by vocal prayer to our Heavenly Father, and was followed by each of the others in succession. We did not at the first trial, however, obtain any answer or manifestation of divine favor in our behalf. We again observed the same order of prayer, each calling on and praying fervently to God in rotation, but with the same result as before. Upon this, our second failure, Martin Harris proposed that he should withdraw himself from us, believing, as he expressed himself, that his presence was the cause of our not obtaining what we wished for. He accordingly withdrew from us, and we knelt down again, and had not been many minutes engaged in prayer, when presently we beheld a light above us in the air, of exceeding brightness; and behold, an angel stood before us. In his hands he held the plates which we had been praying for these to have a view of. He turned over the leaves one by one, so that we could see them, and discern the engravings thereon distinctly. He then addressed himself to David Whitmer, and said, ‘David, blessed is the Lord, and he that keeps His commandments;’ when, immediately afterwards, we heard a voice from out of the bright light above us, saying, ‘These plates have been revealed by the power of God, and they have been translated by the power of God. The translation of them which you have seen is correct, and I command you to bear record of what you now see and hear.’ Joseph then concerned himself with Martin Harris, who had departed from them: ‘I now left David and Oliver, and went in pursuit of Martin Harris, whom I hound at a considerable distance, fervently engaged in prayer. He soon told me, however, that he had not yet prevailed with the Lord, and earnestly requested me to join him in prayer, that he also might realize the same blessings which he had just received. We accordingly joined in prayer, and ultimately obtained our desires, for before we had yet finished, the same vision was opened to our view, at least it was again opened to me, and I once more beheld and heard the same things; whilst at the same moment, Martin Harris cried out, apparently in an ecstasy of joy, ‘Tis enough; tis enough; mine eyes have beheld; mine eyes have beheld;’ and jumping up, he shouted, ‘Hosanna,’ blessing God, and otherwise rejoiced exceedingly.” The account of MH reminds me of Jonah, who told his ship mates to throw him off the ship because it was he was incurring the wrath of God. I like that he was aware enough to know that he was the one keeping the Spirit away, and I liked that he was humbly praying when he was found by JS, and I loved that the Lord was pleased with his efforts enough that he was still able to behold the things which the others had seen. This is the story of my life here, that I screw up so consistently, but I still hope that as I repent and learn and grow that I will be forgiven and still granted blessings. This account only tells of the angel showing them the plates, DJR gives the direct account from David Whitmer who says, “It was in June 1829, the latter part of the month, and the either witnesses saw them, I think, the next day or the day after. Joseph showed them the plates himself, but the angel showed us (the three witnesses) the plates, as I supposed to fulfill the words of the book itself.” Interesting that he gives the two different accounts of what the three witnesses beheld and what the eight witnesses beheld, I always wondered the difference, but there it is. He continues, “Martin Harris was not with us at this time; he obtained a view of them afterwards. Joseph, Oliver, and myself were together when I saw them. We not only saw the plates of the Book of Mormon, but also the brass plates, the plates of the Book of Ether, the plates containing the records of the wickedness and secret combinations of the people of the world down to the time of their being engraved, and many other plates. The fact is, it was just as though Joseph, Oliver and I were sitting just here on a log, when we were overshadowed by a light. It was not the light of the sun, now like that of a fire, but more glorious and beautiful. It extended away round us, I cannot tell how far, but in the midst of this light about as far off as he sit (pointing to John C. Whitmer, sitting a few feet from him), there appeared as it were a table with many records or plates upon it, besides the plates of the Book of Mormon, also the sword of Laban, the directors and the interpreters. I saw them just as plain as I see this bed (striking the bed beside him with his hand), and I heard the voice of the Lord, as distinctly as I ever heard anything in my life, declaring that the records of the plates of the Book of Mormon were translated by the gift and power of God.” 17:3-4 – Having the three witnesses “fulfilled an important law established by the Lord,” says the IM. The IM continues by quoting Elder Bruce R. McConkie as teaching “Whenever the Lord has established a dispensation by revealing his gospel and by conferring priesthood and keys upon men, he has acted in accordance with the law of witnesses which he himself ordained. This law is: ‘In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.’ Never does one many stand alone in establishing a new dispensation of revealed truth, or in carrying the burden of such a message and warning to the world. In every dispensation, from Adam to the present, two or more witnesses have always joined their testimonies, thus leaving their hearers without excuse in the Day of Judgment should the testimony be rejected.” The Lord gives instruction to the three potential witnesses about what they are to do once they receive their witness saying, “And after that you have obtained faith, and have seen them with your eyes, you shall testify of them, by the power of God; and this you shall do that my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., may not be destroyed, that I may bring about my righteous purposes unto the children of men in this work.” I thought that it was interesting that one of the Lord’s motivating factors in having witnesses was for the sake of JS. DJR gives the account of JS’s mother, Lucy Mack Smith, and points out some interesting “side effects” of having the three witnesses that I hadn’t considered. She wrote that after the four men had returned from receiving their witness in the woods, “on coming in, Joseph threw himself down beside me, and exclaimed, ‘Father, mother, you do not know how happy I am: the Lord has now caused the plates to be shown to three more besides myself. They have seen an angel, who has testified to them, and they will have to bear witness to the truth of what I have said, for now they know for themselves, that I do not go about to deceive the people, and I feel as if I was relieved of a burden which was almost too heavy for me to bear, and it rejoices my soul, that I am not any longer to be entirely alone in the world.’ Upon this, Martin Harris came in: he seemed almost overcome with joy, and testified boldly to what he had both seen and heard. And so did David and Oliver, adding that no tongue could express the joy of their hearts, and the greatness of the things which they had both seen and heard.” I had not considered the burden that being the only witness to the truth had been on JS. If we think about it, a tyrant, one who was vying for power and wealth would have spurned the notion of witnesses, because they would rival him for power in the Church, but JS embraced is as a shared burden. With this information, it makes complete sense that having others as bearers of the truth would be liberating to JS rather than threatening. This also might have been a factor in why JS was so eager for MH to take the 116 manuscript pages, to give some validity to the work, so shift some of that burden from himself to others. It’s kind of like myself, I want to shift some of my burden to someone else, but the Lord keeps telling him that this is mine to shoulder alone and learn to share it with him, and in time I will be allowed share it with someone else, but not now. Just like JS wanted to share the burden of the truth with someone else, but the Lord said “not yet.” 17:5-7 - The Lord continues, “And ye shall testify that you have seen them, even as my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., has seen them; for it is by my power that he has seen them, and it is because he had faith. And he has translated the book, even that part which I have commanded him, and as your Lord and your God liveth it is true. Wherefore, you have received the same power, and the same faith, and the same gift like unto him.” The same power, faith, and gift to testify. I had never considered that a gift before, but clearly it is and is makes sense that it would be a gift, the gift to testify, the gift of testimony. There is definitely the overwhelming sense that the Lord is in charge of this whole production. He constantly says that JS only does what He commands him, he’s only able to do things through God’s power, it really takes the guess work out of who’s really in charge. It’s fascinating to me that opponents of the Church have so much beef with JS, or believe that we worship him. Even in the beginning of the Church opponents of the Church asked members what their obsession with JS was that they would leave their homes and families to follow him. It makes no sense to me that it would have been a religion about JS ever. Sure he was foreordained to be the first prophet in the last dispensation and that was/is an incredible responsibility, but it’s never been about him. Why would a man who created his own religion from scratch for power and glory for himself write prophecies that clearly state that God is in charge, and he only does what God commands him? That doesn’t make any sense. Even the old European royalty who believed they were chosen by God didn’t say “I’m raising your taxes because God commanded me to,” they said “I’m raising your taxes because I want to and I’m chosen by God so I can do whatever I want.” Few and far between are those who are selfless and even fewer are those who are selfless and given the opportunity for power and corruption. DJR goes through the Testimony of the Three Witnesses and uses bold to denote where they said exactly what the Lord told them to say, so I’ll do it here too, using his model,” Be it known unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, unto whom this work shall come: that We, through the grace of God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, have seen the plates which contain this record, which is a record of the people of Nephi, and also of the Lamanites, their brethren, and also of the people of Jared, who came from the tower of which hath been spoken. And we also know that they have been translated by the gift and power of God, for his voice hath declared it unto us; wherefore we know of a surety that the work is true. And we also testify that we have seen the engravings which are upon the plates; and they have been shown unto us by the power of God, and not of man. And we declare with words of soberness, that an angel of God came down from heaven, and he brought and laid before our eyes, that we beheld and saw the plates, and the engravings thereon; and we know that it is by the grace of God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, that we beheld and bear record that these things are true. And it is marvelous in our eyes. Nevertheless, the voice of the Lord commanded us that we should bear record of it; wherefore, to be obedient unto the commandments of God, we bear testimony of these things. And we know that if we are faithful in Christ, we shall rid our garments of the blood of all men, and be found spotless before the judgment-seat of Christ, and shall dwell with him eternally in the heavens. And the honor be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, which is one God. Amen.” It looks like most of the testimony is exactly what the Lord told them to say, there isn’t much fluff in there, it’s mostly all business. 17:8-9 – DJR says, “As this revelation comes to a close, we see an ‘if, then’ clause, meaning that ‘if’ they do their part, ‘then’ the Lord will be enabled to do His part. Furthermore, as we apply this to ourselves, we see that ‘if’ we do our best, the ‘grace’ or help of the Lord will be sufficient for us to attain exaltation at the final judgment. This is a very encouraging and comforting fact.” The Lord closes saying, “And if you do these last commandments of mine, which I have given you, the gates of hell shall not prevail against you; for my grace is sufficient for you, and you shall be lifted up at the last day. And I, Jesus Christ, your Lord and your God, have spoken it unto you, that I might bring about my righteous purposes unto the children of men. Amen.” The IM says, “Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer, and Martin Harris never faltered in bearing testimony of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. As history attests, however, they did falter in other Church-related area. David Whitmer left the Church and never came back. Oliver Cowdery and Martin Harris both left the Church but were eventually rebaptized and died in full fellowship. But ever while they were out of the Church, all three continued to bear solemn witness of the reality of their experience on that day. They undoubtedly felt the weight of the Lord’s warning to them to keep his commandments or the gates of hell would prevail against them.” The IM gives the death bed accounts of the three witnesses saying, “Francis W. Kirkham wrote about Oliver Cowdery’s death that ‘in the year 1878, David Whitmer said to Elders Orson Pratt and Joseph F. Smith concerning his departure: ‘Oliver died the happiest man I ever saw. After shaking hands with the family and kissing his wife and laughter, he said, ‘Now I lay me down for the last time; I am going to my Savior;’ and he died immediately, with a smile on his face.’ The Richmond democrat carried the following account of David Whitmer: ‘On Sunday evening, at 5:30 (Jan. 22, 1888), Mr. Whitmer called his family and some friends to his bedside, and addressing himself to the attending physician, said: ‘Dr. Buchanan, I want you to say whether or not I am in my right mind, before I give my dying testimony.’ The doctor answered: ‘Yes, you are in your right mind, for I have just had a conversation with you.’ He then addressed himself to all around his bedside in these words: ‘Now you must all be faithful in Christ. I want to say to you all, the Bible and the record of the Nephites (the Book of Mormon) is true, so you can say that you have heard me bear my testimony on my death-bed. All be faithful in Christ, and your reward will be according to your works. God bless you all. My trust is in Christ forever, worlds without end. Amen.” Finally, the testimony of Martin Harris, “Yes, I did see the plates on which the Book of Mormon was written; I did see the angel; I did hear the voice of God; and I do know that Joseph Smith is a Prophet of God, holding the keys of the Holy Priesthood.” Very profound that they upheld with testimonies of the witnesses of the Book of Mormon all throughout their lives, while in the Church and while outside of the Church. Finally, commenting on the phrase “My grace is sufficient for you” the IM teaches, “After a man has done all that he can for himself, it is only by the grace of the Lord (that is, by his love, mercy, and condescension) that he can gain salvation. These three men were promised that if they would do all that they were instructed in this revelation, the Lord’s grace is sufficient to ensure their salvation. President Joseph Fielding Smith taught that ‘we are all transgressors of the law to some extent, no matter how good we have tried to be- we are therefore unable in and of ourselves to receive redemption from our sins by any act of our own… It is by the grace of Jesus Christ that we are saved.”